A new tax on General Practitioners (GP’s) and Allied Health Professionals could leave Victorians without access to vital healthcare services.
The Nationals are calling for Labor’s Health tax to be withdrawn immediately.
The Victorian Nationals and Liberals recently hosted around 30 GPs and representatives from peak medical bodies to hear first-hand the detrimental impact of Labor’s Health Tax.
Labor’s Health tax will impact the viability of medical clinics by backdating payroll tax, resulting in tax bills of up to hundreds of thousands of dollars being issued.
The Nationals Member for Mildura, Jade Benham said for GP clinics to remain viable, Labors new tax will ultimately flow through to patients, making healthcare less affordable.
“The health tax will result in fewer bulk billing clinics and place more demand on Victoria’s hospital and emergency health systems which are already struggling with demand and under resourcing,” said Ms Benham.
“It is appalling that the Andrews Government thinks it’s acceptable to place a tax on healthcare – let alone a retrospective one on our GP clinics.
“People who live in rural and regional Victoria experience poorer health outcomes than those in metropolitan areas and Labor’s health tax simply erects another barrier.
“Affordable health care for regional Victorians is challenging enough without being financially penalised by another Andrews Government tax.”
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier said, “This is a desperate cash grab by a government that is broke.
“It will have huge ramifications for Victoria’s strained health system and will only make it harder for Victorians to see a doctor.”
“Labor’s Health Tax will add considerably to out-of-pocket medical costs and reduce access to bulk billing across our community, in worst case scenarios it may cause a clinic to close.
